68 THE MOCKING BIRD, 



THE MOCKING BIRD. 



(Turdus Poll/glottis, Auditbow.) 



This every where esteemed and beautiful 

 Thrush, whose musical talents are so highly 

 appreciated in this country and in Europe, is 

 a native bird, unrivalled for grandeur and 

 power of song by any other in the known 

 world. He is found in his natural condition 

 from the State of Pennsylvania to the Rocky 

 Mountains ; in fact, he is seen from the At- 

 lantic to the Pacific Ocean, as far south as 

 the interior of Brazil. He is occasionally 

 now, though rarely, seen in the vicinity of 

 Philadelphia, whence he has been gradually 

 driven by a constant pursuit, which arose 

 from the great price constantly demanded 

 and obtained for him from the fancier. In 

 fact, from this cause, scarcely a square in any 

 one of our large cities, has not at least one, 

 and frequently as many as a dozen cages, 

 suspended from the windows of gentlemen's 

 mansions. 



It would be unnecessary in our limited 

 work to describe the appearance of this bird, 

 which is more remarkable for plainness and 

 intelligence, than for extraordinary beauty. 

 In the cage as well as in the wood, his every 

 motion is ease and gracefulness itself, com- 

 bined with a lightness and rapidity of motion 

 which is amusing to the spectator, from its 

 resemblance to caprice, and an apparent co- 

 quettishness of demeanor. 



